Unexpected Guest
by Tk137
Summary: The inquisitor begins to prepare for the day when an unexpected visitor joins him in Skyhold. A quick one shot of how the return of the Hero of Ferelden would turn out - after the defeat of Corypheus.


Brady walked out of the main hall and descended down the stone stairs outside. The morning sun lit up the courtyard, while the brisk air was able to fill his lungs with a sense of peace. He exhaled deeply and directed his attention to the soldiers sparring one hundred yards away.

"Inquisitor." A familiar voice called out.

He swung his head around to find the source of the sound. When he looked forward, he was slightly startled by Leliana's silent entrance. "Do your feet naturally make no noise, or was that part of your training?"

She laughed softly, "My apologies, Inquisitor. Now, I-"

Before Leliana could finish, the sound of barking echoed across Skyhold.

Brady refocused his attention on the spymaster, raising an eyebrow in confusion, "I wasn't aware of the dogs in Skyhold."

Leliana's face distorted in a way that the Inquisitor had never seen before. It mirrored a reaction of surprise and excitement, but also confusion. She looked at The Inquisitor with bewilderment and spoke, "That can't be."

Brady was about to ask Leliana what exactly she talking about, but once again lost his attention and turned his head to the distinct sound of four legs galloping towards them. His eye caught a huge mabari charging towards them, mouth agape and tongue sliding out from the side. The mabari had a cute, dumbfounded look to it as it ran hard to Leliana's side.

"Why," she grinned brightly and kneeled down to pet the dogs head, 'Hello, Barkspawn."

Barkspawn wagged his tail vigorously and planted a wet kiss across the spymaster's face.

"Come here, buddy," a voice bellowed, causing the dog to direct his attention towards a man who walked as though he was going to join Brady and Leliana, also.

Leliana kept her smile, and as the man got closer, Brady noticed he also held a beaming smile at the sight of Leliana. He noticed the distinguishable Grey Warden armor the stranger wore, and managed to put two and two together.

"Well, I'll be damned," Brady said loud enough for the man to hear, "Warden-Commander Cousland, I presume."

"Inquisitor," He replied, "A pleasure to finally meet you."

Leliana walked up to her old friend and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, "Thank the maker you're okay, Damon." She playfully shoved him after their embrace ended, "You stopped writing back, I was worried."

Damon chuckled, "I'm sorry, next time I promise I'll respond to _all_ of your concerned letters." Damon turned to the inquisitor and held out his hand. Brady replied with a firm handshake. "I want to apologize for the fact I couldn't help with Corypheus more thoroughly, but obviously you handled it quite well on your own."

"All part of the job." Brady replied with a snark filled grin.

"Right," Damon looked at the inquisitor with a more firm gaze, "I assume you've taken care of my family while I was gone. Do you know where I can find them?"

"Your family is well, Warden-Commander. Morrigan was a significant help to the inquisition and I apologize in advance for anything that Iron Bull and Varric might have taught Kieran. They tend to stay in the garden during the day. I could have one of our soldiers show you to it."

"I'll take care of it, Inquisitor." Leliana volunteered.

"Very well, Leliana. Commander Cousland, it has been an honor to meet you, but I have a personal affair to see to." His eyes darted to the battlements where he saw Cassandra looking at the mountains in the distance, facing away from them all.

"This way, Damon." Leliana motioned. She led him up the stone stairs. Barkspawn pattered behind them, never allowing them to lead too far ahead of him.

"So," Damon spoke up, "He's a charismatic one, the inquisitor."

"You have no idea," Leliana laughed, "sometimes, his sarcasm and humor remind me of you dealing with people during the fifth blight."

"Maker, I hope not," Damon chuckled. Leliana opened a door that led to a slight hallway and allowed Damon to pass through in front of her. "He seems so... young for his title." Damon added to the conversation.

"Lord Trevelyan depicts experience and poise, despite his age. There's a quality in the man that people trust and follow," Leliana reassured, "If I remember correctly, you were the same age when you were saving the world."

"Alright, I understand," He bowed his head in defeat and gave his final verdict, "I believe that Lord Trevelyan is the only person who could have led this Inquisition. I understand the Divine wanted The Champion or I to lead the fledgling Inquisition, but I assure you neither of us would have had the same impact on the people." Damon watched Leliana as she began to understand what he was trying to say. Damon continued, "You have the Herald of Andraste leading Thedas out of the darkness. More people believe in him right now then they ever did in either of us."

"I agree," Leliana spoke up, and opened the door to the garden for The Warden.

"Thank you," Damon pulled her in for another hug, "It was great to see you again, finally. We'll catch up after I find out what my wife has been up to."

Leliana gave him a look of worry, and he furrowed his brows. "Maker, what did she do?"

She looked over to Morrigan, who was too busy ready a tome to realize what was going on around her. "I'll let her tell you. It isn't my place."

"Quite the spymaster... keeping secrets for everyone in the Inquisition." He joked.

She chuckled and allowed her smile to linger as she turned back to the hallway, shutting the door behind her.

Damon looked around the garden and noticed so many people going about their business. He couldn't help but smile when he saw her again. Their was an excitement in his heart that made him want to run to her and kiss her for every moment he missed her on the road, but he kept his composure. He walked up to one of the pillars and leaned his body on it, crossing his arms. The surprise was ruined though, when a once busy Kieran lifted his head and noticed his father's recognizable stature.

"Father!" Kieran jumped to his feet and ran into Damon's arms.

Morrigan looked up at the sound of her son's words, "Father? Kier-"

Her voice was lost when her eyes made contact with his.

"Hi," he said softly towards her, while he wrapped Kieren into a bear hug. "You're getting big, pup."

"You're getting grey, father." He retorted.

"You've been spending too much time with your mother." He warmly accused, darting another smile to Morrigan.

Morrigan put the tome down, sat up from the stone bench, and waltzed over to his side, a smirk pulling on her lips. "Welcome home, my warden." Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and his hands secured her body close to his. Kieran adverted his eyes as Damon kissed her passionately. He wanted to continue, but he knew this wasn't the time, nor the place.

"Damon," she almost purred.

Before he got too comfortable, he needed to ask her what happened while he was gone. Knowing her, there must of been some trouble she had gotten herself into. "So, how did you dealings with the inquisition go?"

"Fine," she answered, "tis a wonderful thing, the Inquisition."

"I met grandmother, father!" Kieran said proudly while petting a prone Barkspawn.

Damon cocked an eyebrow and gave his attention to his son, "Your grandmother?"

"Yes, in the fade!" He added with the same tone of pride in his voice.

Damon redirected his attention back to Morrigan, who was looking everywhere but at him. "Were you successful on your travels?" She evaded.

"Were you?" He replied coolly.

"Come, my love. This conversation must be done... in private."

Damon sighed, but complied. "Kieran, stay here with Barkspawn."

"Can I please go see Iron Bull with Barkspawn?" He asked politely.

The Inquisitor's words about Varric and Iron Bull's teachings to his son popped into Damon's head for a moment, but allowed Kieran to go while Morrigan pulled on his hand and lead him to her quarters.

* * *

Damon walked into the room and watched Morrigan close the door behind them.

He crossed his arms over his chest and furrowed his eyebrows at her, "Now that were alone, are you gonna tell what in Andraste's knickers happened while I was gone?"

Her golden eyes studied his expression as she slowly strutted closer to him. "Tis not the time, my warden."

His face softened as her lips were now centimeters away from his. Instinctively, his arms dropped from his chest and secured themselves around her waist.

"Maker, I've missed you."

She smiled at his words and pressed herself against him, minimizing any space between them.

Her familiar scent and touch almost rendered him helpless to her, but he quickly gathered his wits, "No, no, I see what you're doing here," he placed his hands on her shoulders and tried his hardest at a reassuring grin, "Whatever happened, my love, you can tell me. I trust that you did what was right, regardless the circumstance."

"Very well," she sighed, defeated. "But, you first. Did you find a cure to The Calling?"

He scoffed, "Of course I did. Your turn."

She frowned at him, "You are impossible."

"Morrigan..."

"I don't even know where to start," she admitted, "We knew Flemeth was more than perceived, but..."

"She's always been a monster of a mother-in-law, I'll give her that." He grinned at his own joke.

"My mother... is Mythal."

"Mythal? The elven god? How is that even possible?"

"Mythal possessed her, in a sense, long ago," she looked at her lover, making sure he was still following, and continued, "Kieran entered the fade through the Eluvian. I chased after him and finally found him with my mother. She has taken the Old God soul out of him. What she plans, I do not know. I fear it may involve me and I must comply to her whim."

"Why would you? She doesn't control you anymore, Morrigan. It's been a decade, her influence means nothing to us." He continued to support her through the calm tone in his voice.

She bit her bottom lip and turned her attention away from him, "I- misjudged- Corypheus's intentions. I assumed he was after the Eluvian in the Arbor Wilds, but after arriving at the Temple of Mythal, it was revealed that the Well of Sorrows was his true goal."

Damon rubbed the back of his neck, "Well of Sorrows? That just sounds bad."

"It held centuries of secrets. I could not allow that to be lost, you understand."

He chuckled grimly, "So far, it sounds like this story of yours is going to end horribly."

"_Oh_, 'horrible' is not the word." She walked over to the bed and took a seat. He continued to stand, his oceanic eyes staying on her, desperately trying to gauge where she was going with this.

"I drank from the well, preserving the knowledge," She continued, "but there was a consequence: One who drinks from the Well is bound to Mythal's will forever."

He ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes shutting tightly, "Maker. We're stuck with Flemeth _forever_, aren't we?" The reality in his words tasted like acid in his mouth.

"I am bound to Flemeth... You have no such ties. With much thought, 'twould be best if you stay with Kieran and I leave... until a solution is reached."

His expression changed drastically from annoyed to anger after she spoke, "No. You are not doing this again."

"'Tis safer for you and Ki-"

He cut her off, "Morrigan, if you were bound to the Maker himself, I would not allow you to leave." She looked up at him with a saddened expression. He hurried to her side and fell to his knees next to her, carefully placing his hand on her cheek and caressing it. "No matter what, we face the future together. The three of us. Always."

She nodded and nuzzled comfortably in his hand, his touch calming her as it has a million times before. His lips curved into a soft smile. He stood up and offered his hand to her, "Now, let's retrieve our son before this 'Varric' and 'Iron Bull' corrupt him further."

A genuine laugh escaped her lips as they began to exit the room.


End file.
